1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure of a fuel charging portion of a vehicle capable of earthing a fuel charging nozzle to a vehicle body.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a structure of a fuel charging portion of a vehicle, there is proposed a structure capable of earthing a fuel charging nozzle to a vehicle body.
For example, in a vehicle having a fuel tank for storing a fuel gas such as hydrogen, it is preferable that a fuel charging nozzle be earthed to a vehicle body when charging the fuel gas to the fuel tank. Thus, a structure of a fuel charging portion of a vehicle that urges an operator charging a fuel gas to earth the fuel charging nozzle to the vehicle body before charging the fuel gas has been developed to a practical stage.
For instance, a structure of a fuel charging portion provided with an earthing port and a fuel charging port separately is known (For example, see Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication JP-A-2003-291667, page 6 and FIG. 3).
FIG. 9 illustrates a basic principle of such a related art. A fuel gas charging station 110 is provided with a fuel gas charging nozzle 111 for charging a fuel gas and an earth wire 112 for earthing the fuel gas charging nozzle to a vehicle body 101. Numeral 113 designates a hose attached to the fuel gas charging nozzle 111.
A structure 120 of a fuel charging portion of a vehicle includes a fuel gas charging portion 122 for charging the fuel gas to a vehicle 100 by inserting the fuel gas charging nozzle 111 of the fuel gas charging station 110 thereto, and an earthing portion 124 for nullifying a voltage potential difference between the fuel gas charging station 110 and the vehicle 100 by connecting the earth wire 112 of the fuel gas charging station 110 thereto. The fuel gas charging portion 122 and the earthing portion 124 are disposed individually and independently at the vehicle body 101.
FIG. 10 illustrates a basic constitution of the related art. The fuel gas charging portion 122 includes a gas charging port 126 provided at the vehicle body 101, a cap 127 for detachably covering the gas charging port 126, and a lid of charging side (lid for fuel) 128 which is opened or closed selectively for covering both the gas charging port 126 and the cap 127.
The earthing portion 124 includes an earthing port 131 provided at the vehicle body 101, an lid of an earthing side (lid for earthing) 132 which is opened or closed selectively for covering the earthing port 131, and a lid opener 133 for opening the lid of charging side 128 of the fuel gas charging portion 122.
That is, the structure 120 of the fuel charging portion of the vehicle is constituted such that the lid of charging side 128 cannot be opened unless the lid of earthing side 132 is opened.
Although an operator can firmly be urged to earthing operation when charging the fuel gas according to the structure 120 of the fuel charging portion of the vehicle, the fuel gas charging portion 122 and the earthing portion 124 are constituted individually and independently at the vehicle body 101. Therefore, the vehicle body needs to be provided with two lids, which are the lid of charging side 128 and the lid of earthing side 132. Consequently, the structure 120 of the fuel charging portion of the vehicle becomes complicated.
Hence, there is desired a structure of a fuel charging portion of a vehicle capable of simply constituting the structure and capable of smoothly carrying out an operation of charging the fuel gas.